This guy thought I was nuts.

james hitchcock

james hitchcock

Well-known member
I attended the antique farm show in Tulare ca. this weekend. We had a booth selling some old stuff. I brought along Walter (1931 Ford Huckster). An older gentleman and I set for awhile as we talked Model A's and T's. After awhile he mentioned he'd like a 30 - 31 pickup. I told him that's what Walter had actually started off as. He was a steel top 31. He proceeded to tell me that there was no such thing and that I must have welded in a panel on the top. I said no, later in 31 there was a steel top and that's how he was when I got him. He once again said "well they got you, cause they welded in a panel". He was kinda bristling up a bit and said Ford didn't do a steel top until 36. I kinda laughed and he was done talking . I think he figured this 53 year old young'n didn't know anything. I should have bet him him pinks.
 
I don't go to shows anymore..last show I went to got talking to guy about Model A's and began to talk to me "like a dumb kid" even though he was the one scared to drive his Model A to the show because it had mechanical brakes..(scary) even though it was driven new with mechanical brakes..and had to stop the car back then?..now I don't go to shows I go to swap meets and when I do I carry my really "good" T book and my really "good" A book..so if it ever starts "getting deep" I pull one of those babies out:)Benny
 
Some 30 plus years ago when I completed he restoration of my 1927 Model T Roadster I drove it to my place of employment. As I arrived the chief engineer spotted me and got quite excited and came over for a look and a chat. He was very impressed and congratulated me on a job well done.
He then proceeded to tell me that I had the incorrect wheels on the car. He was adamant that the wheels were Model A and that the Model T only ever had wooden spoke wheels. No amount of talking was going to convince him otherwise.
The following day I showed him a ford factory photograph of a 1927 T Roadster which had the wire wheels and also two wheels from a model A and a model T. to show him the difference.
I guess we will all get old and have our memory play tricks on us sooner or later.
 
Agree with above comments ...... nothing too new ...... appears not too much changed in almost 100 years.

My Dad, born 1902, told me of an old hard-headed guy, born in the late 1800's, who used to live in our rural area years ago.

His then young son-in-law moved about 90 miles away and became a Model T Ford auto salesman in about 1920. The old guy who never owned a car, hopped on a train, and went to visit his son-in-law at this Ford Dealership.

When he returned, he got into a bloody bar fight with a local guy who had just purchased a "new" Model T from a Ford Dealer only about 10 miles away.

What was the bloody fight about?

The old fart swore that the new Model T's that his son-in-law was selling at his work place 90 miles away were very much larger than the local Dealership's Model T's only 10 miles away.
 
Yes it happens all the time and my approach is to smile and let it go. You're not going to change their mind so why ruin two peoples day. You know the truth and that is all that matters. I especially never correct an old timer in front of his family, especially his grandchildren. Let him have his day in the sunshine ! It really does not matter. Wayne
 
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I would never try to correct someone in front of their family. He actually was calling me a fool in front of mine. I politely told him this was just on the pick up. Nooooo way, he said.
 
Most human beings tend to believe that they are the authority in their chosen hobby/field, and sometimes even on things they know very little about, and are adamant about proving this point, until they become fully matured. It happens on this, and every other forum all the time. As well as in everyday life.
I try to take the advice of C26Pinelake, but sometimes my immaturity gets the best of me. And I'm not an authority on anything.
 
I'm sure there are a lot of similar stories. I had the same one with my 31 steel top pickup and one with my 28 Business coupe. He said on the original funnel neck radiator, the funnel part was much wider on the original. Couldn't convince him. At Learjet we always called them "instant experts".
 
I was lined up for a parade one time, and just as we were pulling out, an older guy came up to my window and told me that the placard on my A that listed it as a '29 was wrong. "It has to be a 30 or 31 because it has the smooth cowl" I explained that the Fordor had the smooth cowl earlier, etc etc. He absolutely got fightin' mad angry because I didn't know anything, etc. I let it go, and had to speed up to get my place back in line. I enjoy it when someone asks questions, and also sometimes I learn something from an interested spectator, but I really dislike the vitreol some people can display so quickly. Sometimes here on Fordbarn a good honest discussion can turn sour too when someone gets their back up. I appreciate some of you long-time Fordbarners who get your ears nipped for trying to help, and then turn right around and continue helping others.
 
My dad used to say, "People who think they know everything are damned annoying to those of us who actually do know everything."
 
Yep those that
"Don't know that they don't know" are a pain in the butt to convince
I've pretty much quit discussing things past the first back and forth!
And I never tell anyone they are wrong because I don't really care if they are right or wrong!
Some attitude huh?
 
I watched some guys at a show a few years ago arguing over what the term,Deuce,meant.One guy claimed it was used to describe the cars that only had one window in each side,for a total of two,meaning Deuce.Another guy said it was for the cars with two windows on each side,so,Deuce.This went round for 15 minutes or so,and the owner/builder of the car stepped up and said it was because it was a thirty-TWO,and that's where the deuce term came from.The guys that had been arguing turned on the owner of the car and told him he didn't know what he was talking about.In trying to find out where they had gotten their education it was found that the guys had never owned an old car,or a rod,had never built anything,they were just armchair experts.
 
I always enjoy talking to people who know more than I do, its how I learn things.
You should try it too.:D
Most of the time I just let this slide, but if I get enough I use one of Pop's old lines:
" If you so damn smart, how come you aint rich?":)
 
The next time one of those know-it-all guys tells you something you don't know whether to believe, just ask me. I will tell you if he is right. :)
 
I was at a car show last year with a guy insisting that model A's never had shock absorbers as standard equipment -even showing him a period brochure didn't change his mind - ya kant win:)
 
The Guys that know it all, show you the day they stopped learning. I have a friend of mine that told me this story. He said" I know some better restores them me". This came from a man that had three cars win at the Pebble Beach Concours. There's one to keep you humble. Especially when this man work is amazing.

John Poole

So much more to learn so little time.
 
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